Inmate dies after being taken from an SC jail to a hospital, sheriff’s office says
A man locked up at a jail in the Midlands died Wednesday, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
After being found unresponsive at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, 59-year-old George Gregory Anderson Jr. was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey hospital where the inmate was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
An autopsy will be held to determine Anderson’s cause of death, according to the release.
Late Tuesday night, Anderson received his medication on schedule and was seen again during routine bed checks early Wednesday morning, the sheriff’s office said.
While waking inmates for breakfast, a jail guard found Anderson was unresponsive, according to the release.
Jail officers immediately rendered aid and activated emergency procedures, the sheriff’s office said.
“Every means available was used in an attempt to resuscitate Anderson, including a ... defibrillator,” the sheriff’s office said.
EMS took Anderson to the hospital where further life-saving efforts were unsuccessful as he remained unresponsive and was pronounced dead, according to the release.
Anderson had an extensive medical history and had recently been released from a medical facility, the sheriff’s office said. Information about Anderson’s previous medical issues and how long he had been locked up in the county jail was not available.
Anderson was being held after being charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and contempt of court, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Anthony Dennis asked the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to lead an investigation into Anderson’s death. The sheriff’s office said it will release more information following SLED’s investigation.
“We offer our sincere condolences to Mr. Anderson’s family and wish to commend our detention center’s staff for their response to this emergency,” Anthony said in the release.
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This story was originally published April 4, 2024 at 10:30 AM.
